


Wondering. (Or, how Frollo had Quasi under his thumb all those years.)

by yourfriendblossom



Category: Notre-Dame de Paris | The Hunchback of Notre-Dame - Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
Genre: I don't do sex, Jehan died before 6th January 1482., Mix of the book and the movie, Quasi's childhood., it is mostly young Quasi but there is some Phoebus (I think) and Esmeralda in there too., my first ever fic, one shots of before and after movie, set in movieverse but book elements., so buzz off those who are looking for porn., so please be nice.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22032766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourfriendblossom/pseuds/yourfriendblossom
Summary: Just some one-shots of Quasimodo's childhood, Jehan pestering Claude for money, you get the idea.JEHAN THE LITTLE ASS IS ALIVE!!!Er...for now.So, ever wondered what Quasi's childhood was like? How he felt towards Jehan? If you were wondering other stuff, tell me in the comments and I'll see what I can do.
Kudos: 6





	1. Obedience.

Despite Phoebus and Esmeralda's disbelieving scoffs years later when Quasimodo would tell them so, for whatever reason, Frollo had never hit him.  
The truth was, besides the fact that the boy was so timid he probably wouldn't be able to take it without collapsing to the floor in a fit of nerves every time the man would enter the room ever after, he simply didn't feel the need. He was smarter than that. He rarely even had to go so far as to yell at him. All he needed to do was get something bad to happen afterwards and convince the boy it was a direct consequence of his actions. Not a punishment, but a consequence. For example, something he found particularly annoying and had told the boy to stop was moving the gargoyles around and talking to them. He had slipped a hammer into the basket in which he brought the young man's meals, and taken a nail, one every few visits, out of the plank near the boys bed (it was actually a few blankets and a pillow, but that wasn't important) until it started to peel up and let the drafts in. When Quasimodo noticed, the man said that the hard stone must have scraped the nails out when he was dragging the gargoyles around, such a pity, he would have to fix it now. To his disappointment, despite numerous boards coming up and Quasimodo dutifully fixing them, he still moved them around sometimes (although the rate of movement had slowed down dramatically) but the talking had started to increase, of all things. He kept prying up a board every now and then, based on the gargoyles' most used paths, but he had made it very clear how much he disapproved of their conversations, and although the boy had never started them in front of Claude, he had carried on talking to the inanimate objects before, but the moment he entered the room now, the boy would scramble to pretend nothing had happened. He knew when he'd been caught, however, and would blurt out greetings in his usual nervous stutter which had thankfully improved since the days when Claude could barely understand him, trying to distract him from what was coming next - unless Frollo could get in first.   
Which was what always happened.  
"Good morning, Quasimodo."  
"G-g-g-good m-morning, M-master."  
"Whom ever are you talking to, my boy?"  
"M-m-my f-friends." He knew his master didn't approve of him talking to them.  
"I see." At this, the judge lifted the younger man's chin, forcing eye contact. Intimidating him.  
"And what are your friends made of, Quasimodo?"  
"Stone." He sighed, enunciating as carefully as possible to reduce the risk of stuttering.   
"That's right. And can stone talk?"  
"No, it can't."   
"That's right, you're a clever lad."   
He said the same thing to the boy, the same way, every time. They had had this conversation many times before, and both knew it off by heart by now. 

***

He hadn't even meant for it, to happen, the guard had thrown that peice of fruit completely unprompted, but he was thankful he did. As he told that overly sympathetic Captain, a lesson needed to be learnt here. He was surprised how well he might come out of this. Now the boy would have no doubt that his word was best obeyed, the witch was stuck in the cathedral with no way out, and if he played it smart, no one would question his connection with the deformed young man tied up on the platform, how he had come across the boy, and how he came to be in the judge's care. Yes, if he played it smart, everything should turn out fine. He would have to give the boy time to recover, (even if he could crush the older man's skull with a single hand using that ungodly strength he had exhibited at an early age, he wasn't good at "bouncing back" so to speak.) but the next time he came up those stairs and rounded the corner, it would all be worth it for the newfound sense of respect and fear in Quasimodo's eyes at his worldliness and power. Because fear and respect were two very different things. He was smarter than to think they weren't.


	2. Attachment.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jehan being annoying.   
>  Claude just wants to get some work done, godammit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lack of italics and other possible typos, please forgive me, the "enter text" box won't let me edit.   
>  A Very Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year To You All!   
>  P.S.: if Frollo seems a bit out of character, I'm probably just channeling the Dom Frollo vibe a bit too much over Movie Frollo.

Jehan woke up on top of a snow bank smelling like urine, vomit and alcohol. He checked his money purse (it was really his brother's but that wasn't important.) only to find it empty.   
"Dammit."   
He got up slowly, stretching his back and listening to it crack.   
Well, if the old bugger didn't want to see him today, that was just too bad. 

*** 

Jehan dropped in at Notre Dame first. Claude spent a lot of time there either praying or visiting Quasimodo - he claimed the kid's mother had abandoned him and he'd taken him in out of the goodness of his heart. Quasimodo believed everything his brother told him, of course. (Such an adorable little suck-up. He had to admit it was funny the way he followed Claude around like a lost dog whenever he entered the room, he seemed to think that his brother was second only to the good Lord Himself.) but Jehan wasn't so sure. The first part was believable enough, (if you weren't expecting it, Quasimodo's appearance could give someone quite a shock.) but the second part? Claude had never been one to take pity on those in need. He seemed sort of disgusted by them, afraid of them, even.   
"Hi Quasi, is Claude in here?"   
"N-no, h-he l-left a-a-a f-few mi-minutes ago."   
The stutter that was a constant source of irritation for Claude was just as bad as ever, he saw.   
"Great. Juuust great. Do you know where he went?"   
"I-I th-think h-he we-went b-back h-home."   
"Good lad." Jehan ruffled his red hair, yet another reason Claude claimed the city folk would never accept Quasi if he let him go downstairs.   
"Well, I'll see you later!" Jehan ran through the door and had almost closed it when Quasimodo squealed "Wait!" and grabbed the opposite handle, effectively stopping it from closing with his hands that were already almost as large and just as strong as Jehan's.   
"W-won't yo-you s-stay an-and p-play with m-me?"   
Jehan sighed. He got that Quasi was lonely up here, but he was an imaginative kid, and Jehan had more important things to do.   
"Quasi, why don't you play with the gargoyles? I really have to go."   
"Oh. U-um, o-okay."   
Jehan paused. Normally a suggestion he play with the inanimate lumps of stone would bring forth an enthusiastic spout of reasons why Jehan should join them. (Previous ones had included "Th-they s-said th-they'd sh-show m-me ho-how t-to carve t-today" and "Laverne i-is g-going t-to t-tell s-stories.")   
"Hey, what's wrong?"  
"W-why c-can't a-anybody e-else s-see th-them?"   
Jehan smiled. Why, wasn't that sweet.   
"It's probably 'cos you're so young. You're more receptive."   
"B-but I c-can't even r-remember m-most o-of th-the a-alphabet!"  
Jehan rolled his eyes.   
"You REALLY need to stop listening to my brother, you'll get it someday, and I quite frankly can't believe you're even trying, that alphabet is boring and hard, I mean, seriously? "Abomination"? With an eight year old? (Especially this eight year old - Quasi had some trouble remembering words, and from what he had seen of his recent attempts at carving, was more suited to working with his hands.) Couldn't he just go with "Apples" or something? Put in a color drawing or two to catch your attention?"   
Quasimodo just shrugged without making eye contact, his hands no longer latched onto the door in a death-grip but each one running over its partner. Of course he would be doing that, he would never dare even _think_ something negative about the one he called Maitre, of all people.   
"Well, I've got to get going, see you later Quasi!" and he quickly shut the door while Quasi's thick (almost disturbingly thick for an eight year old's) arms were at his sides and his hands were clasped nervously in front of him. He knew Quasi wouldn't dare follow him, or even open the door to watch him leave, he respected and above all feared his master too much for that. 

*** 

"Hey, Claude!" Jehan said, grinning as he leaned on the door frame.   
Claude stopped signing papers.   
"Who let you in my quarters?"  
"Nobody did. I told Jean and Michael there was a fire in the opposite side of the building."   
"Excuse me, you told my guards what?!"  
Jehan made to repeat himself but Claude held up a long-fingered, multiple ringed hand.   
"Never mind, I doubt there is actually a fire anywhere in the building, I already know what you're here for, and I can tell you right now that the answer is no."   
"Really? Oh, come on, Claude." he took a step forward and leaned his elbows on Claude's desk. "Are you really going to let your little brother go hungry-"   
"If you get hungry enough you might get a job and earn the money yourself."   
"-are you really going to have him wander the streets of Paris because he can't pay the rent? I'm a sensitive soul, Claude, I might have to join up with a gang of thieves to survive!"   
"If you joined a team of thieves, they would kick you out for being too lazy to bring in your fair share of stolen goods."   
Jehan ignored this last comment and continued.   
"Ah, cruel fate, goodbye Claude, for after I start stealing food of other gangs because I was "too lazy" to break into actual houses, they may take their revenge-"   
"I will do it in advance and free of charge for them in a minute."  
He started walking backwards towards the door as he wrapped his monologue up.   
"-I may have my hand cut off by the order of some other judge, I may be so horrifically mutilated by some other scoundrel I will surpass even Quasimodo in deformity-"   
"Don't talk about him out here!"  
"Or I might simply starve to death in the snow, you never know with me, Claude!" and he closed the door and listened with an ear pressed against it, waiting.   
He heard his brother groan and imagined him rubbing circles into his temples with one hand. Then there was a series of clutters as Jehan imagined Claude opening a drawer, getting out a bag, slamming it closed, and stalking over to the door.   
Jehan jumped back to avoid being hit by the flying door and held out a hand expectantly.   
The door slammed open and Claude hurled the purse full of coins at him.   
"Take it! But it's the last one and I mean it!" And he closed the door with a bang.   
Jehan whistled as he walked out of the Palace of Justice, tossing his prize up and down in his hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a scene in the book that's a bit like the second half of this chapter. It was one of my favorites and I figured this must happen pretty often between them so I wrote this. I hope nobody minds.   
>  Please comment down below to let me know what you think, and thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it! Thanks so much for getting this far. Promise to update when I can.  
> Zephyr will probably be really OOC because I) I haven't seen the movie, and II) what I have seen of him was pretty annoying.


End file.
